


there's reason to believe

by grendelsmom



Series: February Prompts 2021 [3]
Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Almost Love Confessions, Angst, F/M, Not Beta Read, february prompts: day 3 - snowfall, my ocs: janosch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29246646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grendelsmom/pseuds/grendelsmom
Summary: It's cold outside when Janosch decides that he deserves to know.
Relationships: Detective/Ava du Mortain, Male Detective/Ava du Mortain
Series: February Prompts 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2144232
Kudos: 2





	there's reason to believe

**Author's Note:**

> day 3 of my february prompt list: snowfall
> 
> it was fun to explore Janosch's character and his relationship with Ava a bit more, but I'm also glad it's done now and I don't have to stare at my screen any longer.
> 
> as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)

It’s cold in his office. Almost freezing. Janosch pulls the zipper of his jacket up and kicks the heater. It doesn’t really help. He sighs and thinks about doing it again - more for momentary satisfaction than a real result. He’s worked here long enough to know that the town’s limited funds barely cover maintenance of the station, let alone repairs. The police are not the top priority here, Wayhaven is too small, too quiet for that. Or well, at least it was.

He stops himself from cursing, when he sees Ava walking through the front door. She has pulled her coat up high and the scarf she’s carefully tucked into it, almost covers her chin. But the tips of her ears and nose are still bright red from the cold. It’s cute. He opens the door before she can knock. “Agent!” He smiles to see that she goes even redder at this enthusiastic greeting. “It’s good to see you - I could need a distraction right now.”

“Detective”, she nods, then frowns, “You shouldn’t let yourself get distracted from work.”

He shakes his head, still smiling. “Don’t worry about it, there’s not much to do at the moment.” Absentmindedly his fingers brush over the left side of his neck, feeling the small rise of the barely visible scar. A habit he picked up after… after Murphy. “It’s been quiet lately.”

He can see Ava’s frown deepen from the corner of his eyes. She takes a step towards him, but stops when he turns to look at her, stuffing her hands deep into the pockets of her coat. “So”, he says, the brightness of his tone sounding more forced than he intended to. “What brings you here? Besides the pleasure of my company.” He adds, throwing a wink her way for good measure.

Ava clears her throat. “Agent Greene would like you to join the meeting today.”

Janosch is not an idiot. If Rebecca wants him to join a meeting, she could just call. And so could Ava, if it would have been deemed necessary in order to not stress Rebecca’s and his weird mother-son relationship even more. But he decides not to mention it, to let her have this one. It’s cold, he can barely feel his feet and he is not in the mood to argue with Ava about whether or not she has feelings for him. Besides, with her, standing in his office, clearly waiting for him to get ready - it still feels like a win.

“Sure”, he gives her a smile, “Just give me a sec.” He can feel Ava’s eyes on him as he walks back to his desk to turn off his computer. And if that knowledge makes him lean forward just a little bit more deliberate than strictly necessary, then so be it. He’s trying his best here. 

Janosch grabs his backpack and eyes the papers on the edge of the desk, debating how quickly they need to be taken care of, before he stuffs them in a folder and throws that into his bag - just in case. He shrugs on his coat, wraps his scarf around his neck and pulls the knitted hat over his ears. He opens the door and grins at Ava. “After you, Agent.” Ava’s cheeks are still slightly red, but she doesn’t say anything, just begins to lead the way through the station. He follows close behind, noticing the way some of her shorter hair strands have escaped Ava’s strict bun and slightly curl around her pale neck. He might have a problem, Janosch thinks, not for the first time.

It’s snowing outside. Only light, little flakes, only able to slightly dust the ground white. Maybe later that’ll change. It’s supposed to get colder still, he remembers. Verda had mentioned it, the girls were looking forward to it. He supposes that he’s happy for them - it snows so rarely in Wayhaven - even though he himself doesn’t much like the cold.

Ava waits quietly next to him, while he fishes around in his pockets looking for the car key. She would be faster on her own, but it’s been a while since they’ve done that. Lately she seems to have gotten used to his slower, mortal ways. Not that he minds that. If only he could find his keys now, so they don’t have to stand in the cold much longer. He doesn’t enjoy it and he would be surprised if Ava would, vampiric senses and all. 

His hair continues to fall into his eyes and he’s starting to get annoyed with it. He hasn’t had time to go and get it cut and he’s not used to having longer hair anymore. The knitted hat doesn’t help, only pushing his curls further down-

There’s fingers on his forehead, gently pushing away the disturbing hair. Ava’s fingers, he realises belatedly, once it clicks into place that the feet he sees - slightly bent forward, with his head turned down on his quest for the key - are in fact hers. His head snaps up at the realisation.

He’s not exactly a tall man and Ava isn’t a small woman, but this is the first time he has had to look up to her and- his breath catches in his throat. She’s beautiful. There’s snowflakes collecting in her hair - almost like a crown - and her pale lashes shine like a halo in the muted winter light. And, god, her eyes are so, so green. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen eyes this green before, will ever see eyes like this again. Breathe! He has to breathe, he remembers and drags in a rough breath, as her hand slips down to his cheek.

She’s looking at him and he doesn’t think anyone has ever looked at him like this - so intense, so completely, right to his very core - and even if, it’s not like he could remember right now. All he sees, all he thinks is Ava. He wants to touch her. Hold her head between his hands and kiss her. He wants it, desperately so. But he doesn’t move, not one inch, while her hand still rests against his cheek, while she’s still looking at him.

He’s scared, he realises, even though it’s hard to think with Ava’s eyes still on him. Scared that this moment will break, because they all do between them. Scared because for all he jokes and flirts he can feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest and she _must_ hear, she must _know_. 

_You deserve to know, too_ , the thought sticks to the edge of his mind. _You deserve to know_ , it whispers with a voice that sounds suspiciously like Tina.

“Ava”, he says softly, still scared, but trying to be brave. Her eyes widen when she hears him and her hand falls from his face as if she woke from a trance. She clears her throat and steps away, but his hand reaches out and catches the sleeve of her coat. “Ava”, he says again, “You know, don’t you?” She goes slightly red at his words, the beginning of a frown tugging on her features.

“I-”, he starts and stops. His heart is hammering wildly in his chest. He takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself, without looking away from her. “I understand, if this is too much, if you need time. I understand”, his voice wavers, “if you don’t feel the same.” His eyes lock with hers and he let’s go of her sleeve, carefully, slowly. “But, please, don’t lie to me.”

“I… I’m not...”, she clenches her fist and frowns. For a moment he thinks she’ll say something, but then she just looks away. Janosch’s throat suddenly feels very dry. “It’s okay.”, he says quickly, before his voice has time to shake. He laughs. A small, nervous thing. “I’m a big boy, I’ll be alright.” The words fall from his mouth - spoken too fast to be true - and land between them on the cold, grey pavement.

He doesn’t look at her. He can’t. Not with the snow still clinging to her blonde hair, not when her eyes are still so green. His fingers tighten around his scarf. He has to leave. Now. She’ll worry enough as it is. She doesn’t need to see- He really doesn’t want her to. Not now. “You go ahead, I think I forgot my keys inside.”, he mumbles and turns around. His eyes sting as he walks through the door of the police station without looking back. 

He flees. Like a coward.


End file.
